


War of the Lotus Flowers

by APiffany



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual Korra/Asami Sato, F/F, Family Drama, Internal Conflict, Red Lotus Korra
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:48:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25071181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/APiffany/pseuds/APiffany
Summary: AU The Red Lotus was successful in the abduction of the Avatar. Since the age of five, Korra was raised to despise nations, loath her parents, and admire Amon's fight for equality. But Harmonic Convergence draws nearer. And between learning to airbend from the only air nomads left and an attraction to a certain heiress mechanic, Korra begins to doubt her caretakers' motives. Korra has to confront everything she was taught and learn the difference between these strange dreams that she begins to have and her forgotten memories...My take on this AU trope...M, eventual Korrasami
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 13
Kudos: 38





	1. Messages of the Past, Winds of the Future

* * *

"You're gonna have to try harder than that, P'Li!" Korra bragged, dodging another blast from the combustion bender. Korra conjured a wave from the nearby pond and surfed around P'Li, letting out a triumphant laugh.

"No water, Korra!" Zaheer shouted from the sidelines of the makeshift arena. "You must focus on harnessing your full potential as a fire-bender."

Korra grunted, growing frustrated with the side-coaching. "Got it!" She shouted back. She didn't understand why Zaheer was micromanaging her again. Wasn't the whole point of being the Avatar that she could bend all the elements? Zaheer couldn't even bend one.

Korra had spent her life training with Zaheer and his crew. They saved her from being trapped by The White Lotus. She had traveled the world, staying in the outskirts of nations, learning with the elements as she aged. Korra was nearing the end of her firebending training, and she and her teacher, P'Li, were having one last Agni Kai, as per Fire-Nation tradition. So why should it matter which element she used, as long as she won?

"Gah!" Korra screamed, losing her balance on her wave as an explosion burst down on the volcanic rock below her. P'Li had taken advantage of Korra's distraction and shot at the trough of her wave. Korra quickly gathered her wits and used her momentum from the fall to roll onto her shoulder, smoothly popping up on her feet.

"Regain your control! Remember your breath!" Zaheer yelled. Korra could hear the frustration and anger growing in his voice. "You stand on the soil of Avatar Roku's home! Connect with the natural energy surrounding you!"

Korra regained her active stance, squaring her feet to P'Li. She breathed in through her nose, deep and sharp, exhaling hot steam. "Gimme your worst, P'Li!" Korra taunted. The combustion bender smirked and steadied herself before shooting out a thin and pointed energy blast, aiming directly at Korra. Korra waited, keeping her breath even until just before the shot reached her. Focusing on the attack's internal flames, Korra split the energy in half, redirecting some of the power back towards P'Li. Korra gathered the heat from the other half of P'Li's shot and circled it around her head, building the flame. As P'Li danced out of range of Korra's counter, Korra tracked her Master's movement. Breathing in positive chi, Korra unleashed her attack as a thin fire-whip, measuring P'Li's future position and striking her directly. The blast knocked P'Li off her feet, catching her unexpectedly. The rocky ground caught the flames, extinguishing the counter and clouding the battlefield in thick, dark smoke. Korra pulled the flaming ropes back, waiting and ready.

A slow clap started around the arena as the smoke cleared, and Korra's full vision returned. "Congratulations, Korra," Zaheer said, approaching the Avatar. "That was truly a masterful redirect." Zaheer stood at a distance and bowed deeply.

Korra extinguished her fire-whip and returned the gesture of respect. "I told you I would settle it quickly." She chuckled. "How long did that take? Five minutes?"

"Don't be too sure of yourself, Korra," Zaheer narrowed his eyes. "You must stay humble and grounded. The fire does not serve you, but rather, you are in service of the fire. You cannot control it, as fire is—"

"A living and breathing thing, I got it. I hear you." Korra rolled her eyes at her teacher. "I respect it, I understand it's power, yeah yeah. I mean, did you see that? I split that bomb in half!" Korra cheered. "P'Li, you ok?" A groan sounded from the edge of the arena, causing Korra to laugh. "So when do we start the airbending, teach?"

"We have many things to discuss before we can move forward with your training, Korra," sighed Zaheer. "Besides, we need to restore the island and leave. We have overstayed our welcome, and the Fire Sages are sure to notice our presence soon. Ghazan!" Zaheer called to the cliff overlooking the battlefield. "Repair the damage the Avatar caused. Roku's Island must look as though we were never here." The lava bender nodded and dived off the cliff, landing gracefully on the destroyed volcanic rock. Ghazan settled into a deep squat and began shifting the ground around him and reigniting the magma. "As for you, Korra," Zaheer said, focusing his attention back to the Avatar. "I suggest you head towards the crater of the volcano. You still have not connected with your past Avatar Lives. Perhaps meditating at Roku's burial ground will help bridge the gap between you and the Spirit World."

"I thought we were saving the Spiritual mumbo-jumbo until we were at an Air Temple?" Korra asked, dejected. "I should help Ghazan—maybe being near a volcano will finally connect me to lava bending!"

"This isn't up for negotiation. I will fetch you in two hours when we're ready to leave." Zaheer abruptly turned away before Korra could argue.

"Ugh!" Korra cried in frustration. She turned towards the mountain, groaning when she thought about the hike. Ready to just get it over with, Korra began to sprint up the mountainside, ignoring how her body ached in protest. If Zaheer wanted Korra to clear her mind, she would do it her way, pushing her body past its physical limits. She was never able to meditate and wait for something to happen. She would rather work herself into exhaustion than sit around impatiently. And punishing her body was close to meditation, right? It was an escape, one that cleared her mind and helped her forget herself, or that's what she was telling herself.

The truth was, she felt like a failure. Ever since she was a young girl, all Zaheer talked about was how important it was that Korra restore the balance between the physical world and the spirit world. How Harmonic Convergence was nearing, and she needed to be a fully realized Avatar by that time. How he and the Red Lotus had saved her from a life of imprisonment.

And she was beyond grateful for her saviors. Korra knew that she would never have reached her full potential trapped in some facility run by The White Lotus. She needed Bending Teachers, not prison guards. And how would she even trust an organization supported by the same world leaders who threw the world out of balance in the first place? The same world leaders whose governments were barely functioning, running solely on mass oppression, passed off as "peace." But the world was horribly discordant and had been since before the 100 Years Wars. No Avatar, not even Aang, was able to bring balance to the world, and Harmonic Convergence was Korra's chance to save the world.

But Korra was lonely. She appreciated The Red Lotus, but they weren't family. She didn't have a family. Her parents had abandoned her when they tried to imprison her, and The Red Lotus relocated so often that she was never able to settle anywhere truly. How was she supposed to connect to the Spirit World when she couldn't connect to anyone in the physical world?

Korra slowed down as she approached the top of the volcano. It was oddly calming. The faint sulfuric smell grounded Korra as she rested on the edge of the caldera, lost in her thoughts. Zaheer always said it was better that she didn't have any worldly attachments. During their travels, Zaheer would teach her about the world's spiritual teachers. He spoke of Guru Pathik often, as Zaheer tried to open Korra's chakras. It wasn't much use. Zaheer said Korra was too angry and needed to release that anger. She just redirected it into her bending, instead.

Korra crossed her legs, placing her palms up, asking for the universe's energy to flow in and through her. She closed her eyes and tried to settle down, but it was no use. She was frustrated. She didn't want to leave Roku's island. She was tired of Zaheer shouting at her during training, ordering her around. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She tried to steady her breathing, calm her racing heart. She focused on breathing in through her nose, the same deep breath she used during her Agni Kai with P'Li. But when she breathed out, something changed in her. Korra's body ignited, and every never felt alive and active. She had never felt this much energy charge through her—no bout of bending had ever made her feel this powerful. Korra honed into this accelerated rush, and slowly lost touch with the rocky edge of the volcano. But she wasn't disconnected—she was _levitating_.

As Korra lifted off the ground, the world below reacted, the lava churning inside the volcanic vent, a mushroom cloud of ash billowing up and around the Avatar. A booming roar crawled out from the depths of the lava, shuddering inside Korra on a deep vibration.

 _"Korra!"_ A voice whistled. Two glowing eyes emerged from ashy darkness. The eyes grew in intensity as the outline of a man appeared before the young woman. Korra was not scared, but rather, felt a kinship with the figure.

"Avatar Aang," Korra whispered. "You're here..." She stared at Aang's spirit in awe, amazed that she had finally connected with a past life.

 _"Do not believe all that the Red Lotus preaches. Trust in Tenzin,"_ Aang declared.

"What do you mean?" Korra desperately questioned. The wind shifted, and Aang began to fade. "Aang, wait, please!" Korra cried.

 _"Trust in Tenzin!"_ Aang reiterated, drifting back into the smoke cloud.

"Who is Tenzin?" Korra called. "Please! Stay! _AANG!"_ A sonic blast rippled out from inside the volcano, and as quickly Aang appeared, he was gone. The energy pulsing through Korra's veins disappeared, and she landed harshly on the ground, knocking the wind out of her lungs. "Aang..." Korra gasped for breath, clawing at the dirt around her.

"Korra!" the voice of Zaheer called from above. She glanced up, her energy depleted—the whirling of air-ship blades sliced through the air above her. Zaheer and Ming-Hua stood at the open door. "We're leaving. Now." Ming-Hua shot down one of her water tentacles, wrapped it around Korra's waist, and pulled Korra up to the air-ship. Korra groaned at the sudden pull and whimpered when Ming-Hua shot her down on the metal floor. Zaheer clutched Korra's arm, grabbing her chin and forcing the Avatar to look at him. "You finally entered the Avatar State. What did you see?"

"N-nothing...nothing happened," Korra whispered back. "I'm not sure how...I don't know how I...I was _levitating_! Was I airbending?"

"No. That was spiritual energy flowing through you. That was the Avatar State," Zaheer responded, letting Korra go. Zaheer began to pace back and forth, deep in thought.

"What's wrong?" Korra struggled to sit up, physically exhausted, and confused. Where did that spiritual energy come from? What did Aang mean when he said not to trust The Red Lotus? Who was Tenzin?

"It seems I was correct in assuming that the energy of Roku's island would connect you to your spirituality," Zaheer began. "However, that was a larger show of energy than I had anticipated. We have been discovered."

"What do you mean discovered?" Korra asked.

"The fire sages were alerted to your presence when you entered the Avatar State. No matter how brief it may have been, they found us. I fear we may be followed."

"So, what does that mean? Will I still be able to learn airbending?" Korra started to feel the heat behind her cheeks. She wasn't ready to be discovered. She wasn't prepared for Harmonic Convergence yet.

"Yes, you will. But it won't be with us. We will be dropping you off at the North Pole—"

" _What?_ " Korra screamed. "The Northern Water Tribe? Zaheer, my father will find me if I'm anywhere near the Water Nations!"

"We have a man on the inside. Your uncle, Unalaq, is a Red Lotus Member. He is more than capable of watching over you."

"What? My uncle?" Korra wasn't able to process all of this new information. She had a blood relative who was a member of the Red Lotus? Why was she only just learning about it now? "Besides, I already Mastered Waterbending. What could the Northern Water Tribe possibly offer me?"

"Protection," Zaheer stated plainly. "I suggest you rest. You'll need your strength." Zaheer tossed Korra a water skin and some seal jerky from the group's pile of previsions.

Korra settled in for the journey, letting her mind wander over Zaheer's admission. Her uncle would be able to protect her...she wasn't even sure if she remembered who he was. Korra didn't remember much from her childhood before The Red Lotus. She remembered playing in the snow, the smell of her mother's sea prunes, the words of encouragement of Master Katara as she played by the ocean. But she was only five then. After almost fifteen years with Zaheer and his crew, she knew those hadn't been words of encouragement. They were words of manipulation. Katara had wanted to turn her into a clone of Aang, Zaheer had said so.

_"Do not believe all that the Red Lotus preaches."_

Aang's words floated through her head, but Korra shook them away. Why would Aang visit her now, all of a sudden? What was his agenda? She had bigger things to worry about than some fake words of wisdom from a failed Avatar. Things like the sudden emergence of an uncle that she was meeting in a matter of days.

* * *

_"Daddy! Help!" a young Korra screamed. She summoned the water around her to smack her captor, but the waves weren't that strong._

_"Korra! I'm coming!" A broad-shouldered man yelled. He slashed his opponents with icicle spears, struggling in a four-on-one battle._

_The arms around Korra tightened as the assailant ran towards an airship. Korra kicked and thrashed, desperate to get away. "Stop fighting, young one. I won't hurt you," A familiar voice whispered, trying to calm Korra's fears._

_"I want my daddy!" Korra cried, tears streaming down her face. Korra gripped one of the arms clutching her and bit down, hard. The man grunted, and his grip loosened, allowing for Korra to wiggle out of his grasp. She dropped to the ground, the snow softening the blow. She made a break for it, running as quickly as she could back to her father. An aggressive wind, unlike any she had ever felt before, suddenly kicked up. An unnatural twister flew down from above, and an animal Korra had never heard before roared._

_"Tenzin, grab Korra!" The broad shoulder man instructed. Korra kept running towards where she thought safety was, and she just wanted to be back home, under soft pelts, warmed by the hearth. A hand reached out to grab Korra, brushing against her leg._

_"No!" Korra screamed, shooting the snow out at the reaching hand. She didn't want the strange bald man to grab her again._

_"Korra, it's ok. I'm here to take you back to your father. Please, just take my hand." Korra looked up at the man speaking. It was a gentle, deep voice, one that calmed her down instantly. Korra looked up at the soft eyes of the person who said he was here to save her._

_Zaheer looked down at little Korra. "Wake up, Korra."_

"Wake up, Korra. We're here," Zaheer's voice broke through Korra's daze, waking her up. She was uncomfortable, having been sitting in the same spot for a few days. She could smell herself, and she had developed deep, purple bruises from her post-Avatar State crash landing.

"We're in Agna Qel' a?" Korra asked, groggy. Her voice was horse from lack of use. Everyone had avoided her questions for the rest of the trip, and she eventually just fell silent.

"Not quite. I'm afraid this is where we leave you, Korra," Zaheer replied, opening the air-ships door.

"What do you mean? Where are we?" Korra couldn't see past the blizzard outside the door. She felt sick to her stomach—Korra didn't have a good feeling about where this was going.

"I suggest you head southeast. I have already sent word to Unalaq. He will explain more when you arrive."

"Are...any of you coming with me?" Korra asked, looking around. Ming-Hua and Ghazan avoided her glance. P'Li smirked. Zaheer grabbed Korra's arm and forced her to the airship door. Korra looked out, realizing that they were still airborne. "Wait, what's happening?"

"We'll meet again soon, Avatar," Zaheer said.

"Zaheer, wait—"

"Good luck," Zaheer said, shoving Korra out of the airship.

* * *

**Let me know your thoughts...**


	2. Reunion at the North Pole (p1)

**AN:** Not my characters, all respect to DiMartino and Konietzko

* * *

One week. Korra had been out in the wilderness of the North Pole for one week. She was injured, she stank, and she was exhausted—mentally and physically. For one week, she tried to understand what happened. Why her life changed so suddenly. But no matter how many ways she tried to look at it, she couldn't crack Zaheer's plan. Why couldn't he have just explained what was happening on the ride to the North Pole? Why did he have to shove her out of a moving airship?

But finally, she would get some answers. Suppressing her anger, Korra followed Zaheer's vague directions and traveled southeast. She trudged through a massive blizzard, relying on her bending to survive. She bent away snow as it pelted down on her, trying to skate on the frozen tundra to arrive at her destination faster. She built temporary shelters for safety while she slept. She focused on her breath for warmth, igniting her inner flame. It was harder than Korra anticipated, as she was sure that she sustained a broken rib or two from her fall, but it was the most practical application of her abilities she had ever practiced. And now, she could see the lights beyond the icy gates of Agna Qel' a. It was maybe a day's walk away. She would reach civilization by nightfall.

This was her first time in a city. Her first time around civilians without remaining in the shadows. She wasn't sure how to react, how to feel. She was...nervous? She had no barometer for what to expect. What if this was a trap? She only had Zaheer's word that Unalaq was trustworthy. If this uncle of hers was to be trusted, why had she never met him until now? She supposed that if anything did go wrong, she could just destroy whoever tried to threaten her. She was the Avatar, after all.

As she raced closer towards the gates, she was awestruck at how _massive_ a structure this barrier actually was. It was as if the entire city was nestled into a crater near the ocean. She had read about Agna Qel' a, she knew its history and its culture. She knew every detail about the Siege of the North, had studied it during her waterbending lessons with Ming-Hua. But being here in person was something else. She could see soldiers patrolling at the top of the wall. Korra assumed that if she just called out to the guards, they'd help her get to where she needed to be. They would probably only view Korra as a long-lost sister. And she was, in a way.

Korra briefly let her mind wonder what her life would have been like if she remained in the Southern Water Tribe. She remembered the pathetic hut she grew up in. It was nothing compared to the lavish igloos of the North. She snorted—classic Water Tribe Wealth Inequality. Even after the end of the Hundred Years War, the North refused to appropriately reallocate resources to the South. It was infuriating that Korra's homeland couldn't see that they didn't need Northern aid. They rebuilt on their own, so why did they still think that they needed the help of an outdated Monarchy.

 _"Stop where you are! By order of the Northern Water Tribe!"_ A voice called out from the wall. Looks like she was spotted.

"Hey! Can I get some help out here?" Korra called back. She let out a grunt and urged the snow mound she was riding to rise higher.

 _"Dismount from the wave and stand down, now!"_ A line of guards appeared from around the wall, significantly outnumbering Korra.

"What's all, the fuss. Look, I'm just here for Unalaq. He's expecting me—"

"She's _threatening the Chief! Ready!"_

" _Chief?_ Wait, is Unalaq the _Chief_ of the Northern Water Tribe? Are you kidding me?" Korra laughed.

_"Aim!"_

"Ok, guys, calm down here—"

 _"Fire!"_ The soldiers aimed icicle spears at Korra, hundreds of frozen spears hurling at her all at once.

"Arg!" Korra reacted quickly, thawing most of the icicles, still having to dodge quite a few. "C'mon guys! This is so unnecessary—"

" _Fire!"_ The second onslaught of ice came rushing at Korra's head, this time bigger and faster. Korra caught one of the spears, overpowering whichever soldier was initially controlling it.

"You want to shoot ice at each other? Fine by _me!"_ Korra hurled the spear back at the soldiers, but miscalculated her aim ever so slightly, having to evade another round of attacks. The spear crashed into the wall, splitting the ice. Several soldiers plummeted down into the shallow canyon. "Is that all you got?"

Korra's question was answered as more soldiers flooded from the city, a battalion lining up at close range. The army shifted in unison, launching to massive water whips at the Avatar. Korra moved to react but was too late—the blasts latched themselves around her arms, freezing them in place. As soon as the army had knocked out her arms, the remaining soldiers on the wall's ledge fired another round of icicle spears. Korra's legs spun out from under her, melting the ice arrows but causing Korra to lose her height advantage. She took a breath and blasted the ice off her arms, freeing them from their cage. Korra flipped in the air, redirecting her energy to soften her fall.

"Listen, I'm not here to hurt anyone." Korra began, putting her hands up, surrendering. "I just need to ta- _aah!"_ The tropes sent an onslaught of water whips and chunks of ice at her. It was non stop, and it took all of Korra's focus to avoid and dissipate the assault. At her peak, she might've been able to keep up, but between her airship injury and the sheer size of the Northern Water Tribe's army, Korra felt backed into a corner. Usually, in a fight this uneven, Korra would just have retreated—it was better to reserve her jing, to wait until a more opportune time to strike. It was how Ghazan trained her in earthbending, to be more patient than was in her nature. But she needed to speak with Unalaq, who apparently was Chief. Zaheer should have warned her about this, given her some clue about who she was dealing with. But what didn't make sense to her was how a world leader was working with the Red Lotus. It was antithetical to all of their teachings.

"Gah!" Korra screamed out. There was a burning sensation in her shoulder. She had been struck by an icicle dagger while lost in thought. Korra gritted her teeth and tried to push through, pulling a chunk of loosened ice from the wall and sending it towards the ground soldiers, an avalanche burying them in its wake. But her distraction had already cost her as she was pierced by a second icicle. The pain ripped through her—were these laced with something? How did ice sting this badly? She gasped, dropping to her knees, and the army advanced on her. A shadow cast over Korra, causing her to look up.

A long-faced man stood above her, holding an icicle pointed right at heart. "You were asking for me?"

* * *

"Let me go! I'm not here to harm anyone," Korra grunted, tugging on her restraints. She was spread eagle against a metal wall, her hands and feet were totally shackled in metal, preventing her from even moving a finger or a toe. "I just want to talk."

"Maybe you shouldn't have destroyed our wall if you just wanted to talk," said the shadowed man. He stood tall, thin, and broad-shouldered. He looked vaguely familiar, but Korra couldn't place him in her memory.

"Maybe you shouldn't have shot me with poisoned ice!" Korra growled. "Look, you have it wrong—I'm the Avatar."

"Though you did display a surprising amount of skill for someone of your age, there's no way to prove that you're the Avatar. She has been gone for over ten years," The man replied.

Korra smirked. "Watch this, then," She breathed in through her nose and attempted to breathe flames out from her mouth, but all she emitted was regular hot air. "What did you do with my bending?" She demanded.

"Chi-blockers. You think we wouldn't take full precautions against a bender who buried half of my army?"

"Your army?" Korra glanced up, interested and hopeful. "You're Unalaq? I'm here to meet you! I'm Korra." Unalaq's eyes sparked, and Korra took this as a sign to continue. "I—I have to speak with you. I was sent here! I was told you'd be expecting me by Zah—" Korra's head snapped as a water whip stuck her cheek. "What the _fuck_ , man?"

Unalaq approached her, causing Korra to tilt forward, her anger overpowering any thoughts of self-preservation. He leaned in close and whispered quietly so that only Korra could hear, "I suggest you remain quiet about certain people who might be considered international fugitives. I will return soon."

With that, Unalaq turned and exited the chamber, slamming the metal door on his way out. It was dark, with no windows, and for the first time since arriving, Korra felt the freezing temperature of the cell.

And she waited. And waited. It was torturous. She had no sense of how quickly time was passing. She screamed and tugged against her restraints. The longer she was locked in this box, the more anxiety wrestled out of her. She hated feeling this out of control. She wanted answers. She never got answers. Not from Zaheer or any of the Red Lotus members. She didn't know anyone outside of them, and now the one person she was supposed to seek out for answers had trapped her in a metal box and taken away her bending. She felt lost, and all she wanted was to be free.

She remembered being so excited to realize that she was the Avatar when she was younger. The elements had come easily to her. It was like she could sense a power inside her, just waiting to come out. But every day since she found out, Korra felt like no one was letting her do her job. She was locked away. She came here to continue her training and put an end to tyrannical governments. Korra was taught the _real_ history of the world, the one the White Lotus would have kept from her. How millions of innocent, civilian lives were destroyed because influential people, powerful benders, became corrupt. How even supposedly great Avatars became drunk on their own superiority. She had wondered if that's why none of her past lives had come to visit her before—if they knew that she was aware of the truth of their actions, how she saw past the mythologized glory that was past down from generation to generation as propaganda from world leaders. World leaders like the one who trapped her in this godforsaken cell.

Korra's limbs began to go numb. She was sore and hungry. Her still broken ribs were preventing her from breathing properly. It had to have been days since she had seen Unalaq. She wondered where the Red Lotus was—if they were safe. Did the world think she was dead, or were they just waiting for her to die?

A sudden light caused Korra to squint and shield her eyes, not used to the blinding brightness. She slowly opened them, trying to adjust to the now unfamiliar sensation. She heard the slam of the cell door and felt the familiar warmth of a flame. It was small, like a candle or a lantern, but it was there.

"Don't get any ideas, Avatar, your bending is still blocked." A voice said calmly. Korra forced herself to focus on the figure, vaguely identifying it as Unalaq. She growled threateningly.

"Here to break more of my ribs, _Chief?_ " Korra spat.

Unalaq chuckled. "I'm here for that talk you wanted."

"What, too scared to chat without me being locked up?"

"It's not like I could have a wild woman—who killed my soldiers—waltz in and make demands like she owned the place. I have a duty to my people. Besides, I might know you're the Avatar, but it'll take more than words to satisfy the people. They believe you've abandoned them."

"I didn't abandon anyone! I've been training to _save_ them. Save them from bullshit leaders like _you!"_ Korra shouted. "If you cared for _your people_ so much, what have you done to help your Southern family! They've been starved by the North's tyrannical rules and neglect, causing the—"

"Save the speech. I'm on your side. I've been waiting for you," Unalaq said, sitting down on the ground. "Ask me whatever you need."

Korra stared at him for a beat. "Ok, well for starters, how are you Chief of the Northern Water Tribe _and_ a member of the Red Lotus? Don't those two identities conflict? How did you even meet Zaheer?"

"I met Zaheer when I was quite young. I was initially not next in line to be Chief, but circumstances changed, and The Red Lotus decided collectively that it would be most helpful to have someone on inside every nation and every major independent city. Revolutions work best when they're fought from all fronts."

"What do you mean you weren't supposed to be Chief?"

Unalaq smirked. "Another story for another time. Next question?"

"How long have I been tied up? _Why_ have I been tied up? Especially if you knew who I was..." Korra wondered.

"You've been in this cell for almost two days now. Since your...disappearance, there have been many false benders claiming to be the next Avatar. Some are easy to dismiss—they come from the incorrect nation in the cycle, some don't match any defining physical characteristics from when you were a child, some imposters aren't even benders. But in the last five or so years, these false reports have become more difficult to identify," Unalaq seemed lost in thought for a moment. "People have found quiet creative ways to imitate bending, but none have ever held up under serious scrutiny."

"Why do I have to prove myself if you already know I'm the Avatar?" Korra whined.

"It's not me that you have to prove yourself to," Unalaq calmly stated. "Master Tenzin will be here tomorrow morning. He will be evaluating you."

"Tenzin? Why does that name sound familiar?" Korra thought back to all of her lessons, trying to pinpoint who that might be. A memory washed over her, so slowly, she could hardly register what was happening. " _Tenzin, grab Korra!" A blue tattooed hand, reaching out to her. "Korra, it's ok...Please, just take my hand."_ Korra gasped. "Tenzin? Avatar Aang's son? The only living master airbender?"

"That same one," Unalaq responded.

Korra groaned, "How am I supposed to prove to him I'm the Avatar? I can't airbend yet!" A sudden thought crossed Korra's mind, and a shiver of danger crawled up her spine. "And... doesn't he hate the Red Lotus? If he finds out we're with them..." she trailed off, unsure of the outcome.

Unalaq sighed impatiently. "That's what I've come here to discuss. You cannot mention the Red Lotus. Make up some story about being abandoned in some village. I don't care. But no one can know where you've been for the last several years. We need Tenzin to take you back to Republic City."

"What happens when I'm there?" Korra asked. She was growing nervous. How was she supposed to come up with a convincing story in such a short amount of time?

"You will need to meet with a man named Amon," Unalaq responded, standing up and brushing off his furs. "There will be no need to search for him when you arrive in Republic City. Amon will find you." Unalaq turned towards the door, readying himself to leave.

"Wait!" Korra shouted, stopping Unalaq. Unalaq paused, not saying anything. "If you're my uncle...why is this the first time I'm meeting you?"

Unalaq stood his ground as if considering his answer. "There are many things Zaheer and I disagree on. Your upbringing being one of them." With that, Unalaq left, taking the candle with him, leaving Korra in darkness once more.

"Come back! Fuck, wait, Unalaq!" Korra pleaded to the door. "Please don't leave me!" Korra sobbed, her body shaking with grief. She had so many more questions. Unalaq's vague answers left her more confused than anything. He barely offered any insight. How was she supposed to lie to someone like _Tenzin?_ Someone who apparently was gifted at discovering the truth.

What story was she supposed to tell? She racked her brain, trying to come up with something believable. "Abandoned in some village..." Korra thought out loud. "How would that even work? Wait a sec...Kyoshi!" Korra exclaimed, excited! Kyoshi was abandoned and basically raised herself. She could just adopt some of Kyoshi's story. Sprinkle in some details from other notable (and dead) figures, and she had a solid backstory. Korra sent out a silent thanks to Zaheer and his extensive history lessons. Korra could do this. She had to.

* * *

Morning came quickly. Korra wasn't able to sleep much, practicing her story until it was perfect. It had to be foolproof and, more importantly, unprovable. She kept some detail of her life the same. But anything that could have hinted to who her travel companions and bending teachers were was revised. Their secrecy was crucial to their success.

Loud voices appeared outside of Korra's cell. Though muffled, she could vaguely make out what they were saying.

"This all seems a bit excessive, Chief Unalaq. How much security is essential for one teenager?" A deep voice said. It bothered Korra. It felt like a recording of a song she had forgotten the words to, and that irritated her to no end.

"She possesses great power, Master Tenzin," Unalaq responded. "Need I remind you of the damage done to my city's outer wall?" Korra rolled her eyes. It seemed like he wasn't ever going to get past that.

"I still don't understand why Tonraq had to remain on the ship," the first voice, which must have belonged to Tenzin, questioned. "He has been present for every sighting. He would be able to recognize his own daughter." A chill ran down Korra's spine. Her father was nearby. How close, she wasn't sure, but she would keep as much distance as she was able to.

"It would be for the best if you stay out of the Water Tribe's internal affairs, Tenzin." Unalaq curtly replied.

Someone sighed. "Alright, well, let's meet this young bender," Tenzin said. Korra could make out the clatter of keys and prepared herself for the sudden rush of light to fill her cell. She heard a gasp as the door swung open. "Unalaq, this girl is clearly injured. Has no one tended to her wounds?"

Korra looked up, glancing at the swarm of bodies on the other side of the door. Two tall men stood at the entrance, with what looked like twenty guards behind them.

"To heal her would require bringing water into her presence. It was not something we were willing to risk," explained Unalaq. She looked over at her uncle and saw that he was staring directly at her, an eyebrow raised. Korra brought her gaze to the man beside Unalaq.

Korra inhaled sharply. She remembered that face: Sharp, high cheekbones, a pointed beard, and the Air Nomads' signature blue arrows. Tenzin locked eyes with Korra, and she saw something shift in them. Korra felt an itch crawling up her neck. She already felt like she was being examined.

"Hello," Tenzin greeted. Korra nodded in response. "My name is—"

"Tenzin. I know," Korra whispered. Anxiety clawed at her throat. She took a breath, steadying herself. She could do this. She could lie to him.

"Hm. What should I call you?" Tenzin asked.

"Korra. My name is Korra."

"I'm sure it is," Tenzin considered, taking a beat. "Do you mind if I ask you a few questions...Korra?"

"Shoot," Korra smirked. She steeled herself.

Tenzin sat down on the ground, similar to how Unalaq had positioned himself the night before. The guard behind him stood at attention. "Chief Unalaq says that you claim to be the Avatar. We must be..cautious when sussing out these claims, as I'm sure you understand."

"That's not a question," Korra declared. Tenzin sighed.

"I'll cut to the chase, then—if you are the Avatar, where have you been? For the last thirteen years, to be specific."

Korra exhaled, readying herself. "I've bounced around in some of the smaller villages in the Earth Kingdom. When I was six, I was abandoned in Plains village, a small town south of Omashu." Korra recalled the small town from her visit with Zaheer. It was miserable, neglected by the Earth Queen. But more importantly, many orphaned children roamed around as part of a small and illegal child labor force. "Being a water bender was a gift in a town cursed by near-perpetual drought. I worked on a small, nearly barren farm. And as I worked, I learned to master my water bending."

"We searched every town in every nation, no matter how small. How is it that we missed the only water better in a desert?"

"Once I got older, around ten or so, I left to go to Gaoling—"

"Gaoling?" Tenzin exclaimed. "That must've been a difficult journey as a small child."

"It was," Korra replied. She couldn't give Tenzin any reason to doubt her story. "I snuck onto the back of a transport cart. I remember hearing stories of a young girl around my age who won bending tournaments there. You probably know her...Toph Beifong?" Tenzin smiled. "I thought, if she could do it, I could. And that's where I learned how to earth bend."

"You seem to be very self-sufficient, Korra," Tenzin remarked. Korra couldn't get a read on him. She glanced up at Unalaq, and he gave her a small nod to continue.

"You do what you have to."

Tenzin hummed. "What happened next? Did you remain in Gaoling?"

Korra nodded. "For a while, I did. After that, I tried to settle in Omashu, but the town wasn't what I had imagined it to be. I worked on a street cart—one of those Cabbage Corp food vendor carts that are everywhere—and saved up money. Eventually, I got a gig on a merchant ship and sailed to Shimsom. I didn't have any paperwork, so it was all under the table, pretty backbreaking stuff. I met a couple of guys on the boat who taught me firebending. All I need now is airbending. I'm hoping you could help with that."

"What brought you to the North Pole?" Tenzin asked. "You had already, according to you, mastered water bending. And if you needed to learn airbending, why didn't you come to Republic City?"

Korra was proud of her planning. She had anticipated this question. "I had overheard some sailors talking about a Chief named Unalaq. The name sounded familiar. My gut was telling me that I had family here. I haven't had family for a long time, so I followed my gut."

Tenzin narrowed his eyes. "Why not return to the Southern Water Tribe? It would certainly be closer to Shimsom...and your father—"

"I don't want to talk about him." Korra dismissed.

"I see. Well, thank you for your time...Korra. I'll be going now," Tenzin said, standing up.

Korra panicked. Did he believe her, would he be back? "So am I free to go? I answered all your questions. I told you where I'd been."

"Yes, well, it's a very convenient story," Tenzin retorted, irritated. "Always underground, in the wrong place at the wrong time, just out of arms' reach. Somehow learning to bend on your own. You would have to be extraordinarily talented."

"I don't know what to tell you," Korra grumbled. "I'm the Avatar, you gotta deal with it!"

Tenzin rolled his eyes. "I must admit, the details were good this time around, but it's just not that plausible of a story."

"What do you mean 'not plausible'!" Korra exclaimed. How dare he! Sure some of the details she had described were made up, but she visited every one of those cities. She worked and lived with regular people. "That's my life!"

"I'm sure it was. It's just not the life of the Avatar."

"I was visited by Aang," Korra declared. Tenzin raised his eyebrows, surprised. She didn't want to reveal this info, but maybe it would convince him to believe her. "I was meditating. I'm not very good at it, but about two weeks before I arrived in the North Pole, I meditated and entered the Avatar State—I, I think." Korra stumbled. "I had never been in it before. But Aang appeared. And he told me to trust in you." She stared up at the Airbender, pleading with him to believe her.

Tenzin became rigid, as if he was controlling an urge to yell back at her. "It's incredibly cruel to speak on my father's behalf that way."

Anger churned in Korra's stomach. "I'm telling the truth!" She had never been this angry before. This man was just dismissing her, not even trying to listen to what she had to say. She was so sick of everyone ignoring her, harming her, leaving her. Her blood was boiling. She tried to do her breathing exercises to calm herself down, but it was no use.

Her eyes began to glow. A shining, ethereal blue, coating the entire cell in its light. Korra felt rushing through her limbs and felt her body slowly become a vessel for any past life to enter. Tenzin stared at her in awe, shocked.

 _"Tenzin, my son,"_ A voice from within Korra said. It was her voice, sort of, but it was not her who was speaking. Aang revisited her. _"I have been through unimaginable pain for an Avatar. Release me at once."_

"Dad?" Tenzin whispered. The guard had all but fled, and only Unalaq stood beside the Airbender, arms raised, ready to battle.

" _The Avatar is at a crucial crossroads. You are to help guide me into my fully realized self,"_ said the Avatar. _"It is your destiny."_ With that, Aang disappeared. The glow from Korra's eyes faded, and she slumped against her restraints, exhausted. She took massive gulps of air, attempting to steady herself.

"Unalaq, release the Avatar at once," Tenzin commanded. He turned his attention back to Korra, who peered up at him through her bangs. "Korra, let's get you home."

* * *

 **AN:** So, thoughts? We're heading to Republic City! I should be able to introduce Asami in the next chapter.


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